What are the advantages and pitfall of phoning by Skype?

Question

What are the advantages and pitfall of phoning by Skype?

Answer 1

cheap but the other person needs to have similar internet phone for it to be free

Answer 2

I have never heard of Skype...sorry

Answer 3

From what I can gather Skype has a disadvantage that the person at the other end has to have a skype phone to. The phone company I use has a Voice over Internet service operating in the USA and it is going to be launched in Europe this year.

Witht his service you can call any phone whether it be on the internet or normal land line, although at present I am not sure about mobiles.

As for charges, well in the USA they get free calling all over the States, Canada, Puerto Rico and Hawaii, so I imagine something similar will come here.

I have been informed that the actual roll out dates for the UK and Europe will be announced on the weekend of 8/9th March.

If you would like more information get back to me by email and I will find it out for you.

Answer 4

People think Skype is cheap. They're actually charging quite high. Check out VoipWise.com

Answer 5

When I use it my internet connection drops after a few minutes. It's really frustrating. i don't know if it's just my computer or not, but it sucks.

Answer 6

you can call all over the world with skype!!

if your power goes out, well....then you cant use it!!

Answer 7

I have been using Skype for over 2 years.  

It is actually "one of the best" PC-based (softphone) VoIP services I have used. (and I have TESTED "dozens" of VoIP services).  I regularly talk to my brother in New Mexico from Canada and 99% of calls are excellent and high quality.

Advantages:

-Highly competative long distance calling rates..... 2.1 cent/min to anywhere in USA/Canada and many other worldwide destinations.... 2.1 cent/min is not high... it is competative... (Skype isn't claiming to be the cheapest...)

- *Unlimited USA/Canada PC-Phone calling for $3/month *

- Excellent voice quality... most of the time.

- No Proprietary hardware required to buy, like some VoiP services...

- All calls are ENCRYPTED for privacy.... you won't hear of many VoIP services claim that...

- No Gimmicks service and no fine print billing tricks

- No Contracts, No commitments, Pay-As-You-Go.... (unlike many VoIP services that "lock you into contracts and hidden fees"...)

- Free calls between all Skype users, PC-PC

- Over 11 million people use Skype "every day"... so, there are lots of people you can talk to for free.... I personally know numerous people who use Skype and I can talk to them for free... PC-PC.

- There is now lots of hardware that allows you to use Skype with didicated "Skype Phone" over the Inernet..... No PC anymore... just like other VoIP-based phone services...

Pitfalls:

- None

Skype is pay-as-you-go.... If you don't like it, quit using it... it's that simple... no contracts to bind you like many phone company services....

Negatives:

Skype is VoIP.  ALL VoIP services have negatives.  Skype has the same negatives as other VoIP services....such as:

- Reliability depends on reliability your PC, Router, Firewall, configurations (or, lack thereof)

- Voice Quality depends on your Internet connection reliability

- Slow and perhaps inadequate Customer Service.... but now days, good customer service (for All companies) is the "exception", not the rule... the same applies to almost ALL Internet-base customer services.... not just Skype.

- Reliability depends on your Internet connection and Modem/Router/Firewall having "correct configuration" settings.  All VoIP services are prone to these same issues....

When people have problems using Skype.... it is usually "their own" equipment configuration issues.... not Skypes...